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North American Football League
The North American Football League (NAFL) is a professional American football league composed of 20 teams divided equally between the National Conference and the American Conference. The NAFL runs a 17-week regular season from the week after Labor Day to the week after Christmas, with each team playing sixteen games and having one bye week. Out of the league's 24 teams, five (three division winners and two wild-card teams) from each conference compete in the NAFL playoffs, a single-elimination tournament culminating in the Mega Bowl, played between the champions of the National and American Conferences. The NAFL was formed on August 20, 1973 as The New United States Football League before changing names three more times in 1978, 1980, and 2002. Out of the league's 24 current teams, only seven have won at least one NAFL championship. The current champions are the Denver Braves, who beat the Montreal Olympians 42-28 in Mega Bowl IX to secure their fifth league championship. For a more in depth list of champions, please see List of NAFL Champions. League History The league was formed following a major scandal in United States Football during the 1971 and 1972 seasons. Four team owners got together and announced would be forming a new football league in 1973 which would be named the New United States Football League. The league included the initial franchises of Toronto Toros, Minnesota Timbers, Houston Cyclone, and Florida SwordFish. In 1975, the league expanded to eight total teams, adding the Boston Braves, Springfield Astros, Richmond Mustangs, and Georgia Sweets. In 1978, the league changed their name to N-USFL and expanded to include the Juneau Whalers. In 1980, the league again changed their name, this time to USFL and expanded to 10 teams after adding the Randall City Cowboys. In 1983, the league contracted for the first time going from 10 to seven teams. The Springfield Astros, Richmond Mustangs, and Georgia Sweets all folded following the 1982 season. In 1988, the league expanded to eight teams after adding the Charlotte Speedsters. In 1995, the league added the Portland Cougars as the ninth franchise. In 2002, the league changed their name to the American Football Association and returned to eight teams after the Charlotte Speedsters folded following the 2001 season. In 2009, the league changed their name one final time to the North American Football League and began a slew of expansion. The Juneau Whalers (now operating as the Alaska Miners) folded following 2008 but was replaced with the Montreal Metropolitans, New York All-Stars, and Texas LoneStars. In 2010, the league expanded to 12 teams after adding the Vancouver Cubs and the Los Angeles Rams. In 2011, the league expanded to 19 teams after adding the San Francisco Inamtes, Las Vegas 21s, Arizona Sidewinders, Mexico City Aztecs, Atlanta Attack, Chicago Hitmen, and Detroit Fusion. In 2013, the league expanded to 24 teams after adding the Boston Revolution, Guadalajara Chivas, Winnipeg Wendigos, Charlotte Speedsters, and Richmond Mustangs. The league plans to expand again for the 2016 season with the goal of having 30-32 teams with 13 different North American cities seeking expansion. Current Teams Former teams *Alaska Miners – 1996–2008 (folded) *Boston Braves – 1975–2008 (relocated; became the Denver Braves) *Florida SwordFish – 1973–2008 (relocated; became the Tampa Bay SwordFish) *Georgia Sweets – 1975–1982 (folded) *Juneau Whalers – 1978–1995 (relocated; became the Alaska Miners) *Springfield Astros – 1975–1982 (folded) Future Teams Many cities across North America are attempting to land a NAFL franchise for upcoming seasons. The cities interested in expansion and their proposed stadiums are listed below.